Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



April 3, 1928.

I w. E. SMITH RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING AP PARATUS Filed t. 18,71,926

INVENTOR'. 7K 5 9%,

Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. SMITH, or rrrrssnnen', PENNSYLVANIA, nssrenon TO THE UNION SWITCH 8: SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SW'ISSVALE, BENNSYLVANIA', A CORPORATION 01 PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILVVAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Application filed Otobcr'lS, 1926. serial No. '1"4;a,2 2 2.

My invention relates to railway trafiic con trolling apparatus of the type 'com n'ising train carried governing means and tripping devices located in the trackway and arranged to co-operate therewith. More particularly my invention relates to tripping devices for use with apparatus of the type described.

In the acompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view, partly diagrammatic showing one form of tripping device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing the tripping device in its effective position. Fig. 3 is a View in elevation showing the device in its ineflective position.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character 1 designates a portion of railway tie upon which is carried a track rail 2. Rotatably mounted in the trackway is a shaft 3 carried in suitable journals, only one of which is here shown, thisjournal being designated by the reference character 4:. The shaft 3 is arranged to be rotated at times by a motor M and has secured to it a crank 5. The lower end of crank 5 is bifurcated to form two parts 6 which are secured about the shaft by means of a bolt 7. A trip arm 9 is pivotally connected at an intermediate point 8 with the free end of the crank 5, and the upper end of arm 9 has a horizontally extending portion 9 The lower end of the trip arm 9 carries a pivot 10.

An operating link 11 is connected at one end to the pivot 10 and has its other end connected to a pivot 12 on a pivot support 13. The pivot support 13 consists of a horizontal portion secured to the tie 1 and a vertical portion extending downwardly into arecess 14: in the tie 1, and carrying adjacent its lower end the pivot 12. I have shown the pivot 12 in the same horizontal plane as the center line of the shaft 3 but this is not essential. The recess 14: is large enough to allow free movement of the link 11 when the trip arm 9 is moved from one position to another. The parts are so arranged that trip arm 9 is located adjacent the rail 2 over which traffic is to be controlled by the tripping device.

The apparatus here shown is suitable for co-operation with train carried governing means comprising a part adapted to engage the portion 9 of the trip arm 9 when the arm is in its eti'ective position, but notwh'en the arm is in its ineffective position. -The governing means on the train may be at rangedfto respond in'any desired manner to the engagement of theabove mentioned part j ried govermng means referred to above.

\Vhen the shaft 3 is rotated by motor M in a clock-wise direction (as viewed in .Figs. 2 and 3) through an angle 0f45 the trip arm 9 is moved through an angle of substan-' tially'90 so that it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3. When the parts are in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 8, the trip arm 9 is in itsineffective position that is, it is out of the path of the device carried by the train. It will thus be seen that my apparatus provides means for rotating the trip arm through an angle which is double that through which the shaft 3 is rotated, that the apparatus may be moved from its effective to its ineffective position quickly and may be used with standard mechanism in which the trip arm is directly connected to the operating shaft.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodythe other end pivotally secured to one end of the trip'arm;

2. In combination, a rotatable shaft, a

crank having oneend secured to the shaft, I

crank secured to the shaft, a trackway trip arm pivoted adjacent the free end of the crank, and a link having one end pivoted about a fixed point, and the other end pivot- -a1ly connect/ed to the trip arm, whereby a rotation of the shaft through an angle of forty-five degrees produces a ninety degree rotation of the trip arm.

4. In combination, a trackway trip arm normally held in substantially a vertical poan angle of forty-five degrees moves the trip arm to substatially a horizontal position.

5. In combination, a rotatable shaft, a crank secured to the shaft, a trackway trip arm pivotally connected With said crank and normally biased to an upright position, a fixed pivot, and a link connected between the pivot and the trip arm for causing the trip arm to move away from its upright position when the shaft is rotated.

6. In combination, a rotatable shaft, a crank secured to the shaft, a trip armpivotally connected to the crank, a fixed pivot, and

means connected between the trip army and the pivot for causing the trip arm to move through twice the angle described by the shaft during its rotation. v y

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature. WILLIAM E. SMITH; 

